Plant growing kit

ABSTRACT

A kit is provided for cultivating a plant, e.g. a pine tree. The kit comprises container in which the components of the kit are housed and which also serves as a growing pot. Inside the container is a package of seed or seeds, and a growing medium. The growing medium preferably comprises a first composition which is peat, for example in the form of a water-expandable pellet, and a second composition such as gravel which is placed over the peat in the container once the seeds have been planted.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/603,296, filed Oct.25, 1990 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,590.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a kit for cultivating a plant, moreparticularly to a kit including substantially all the necessaryprincipal components for planting, germinating and growing a plant, forexample a tree.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Recent years have seen an increase in public awareness and concern overenvironmental issues, particularly the prospect of global warmingresulting from the so-called greenhouse effect. This effect results froman increased concentration of carbon dioxide and other gases in theearth's atmosphere, which causes increased retention of heat energy inthe lower regions of the earth's atmosphere. This effect is caused notonly by the burning of increased amounts of fossil fuels but also by thehigh rate of deforestation in many parts of the world, since trees andother plants are important for absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide andconverting it into oxygen.

Accordingly, there is a need to counteract these detrimental effects ifthe earth's environment is to be preserved. One of the ways this may bedone is by increasing the population of trees or other plants, therebyproviding a replenished means for carbon dioxide absorption from theatmosphere, as well as contributing to the health of the environment byreducing pollution and soil erosion and replenishing wildlife habitat.

Preferably this increase of tree and plant population should bewidespread and on an overall large scale if it is to be effective.Therefore, it would be desirable to provide means for cultivating andgrowing trees or other plants, which may be conveniently distributed inlarge numbers over a wide area to a large number of individuals, each ofwhom could thus participate in the effort to reduce the detrimentalgreenhouse effect.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, in one aspect the present invention provides a kit forcultivating a plant. The kit includes:

[i] at least one seed of said plant,

[ii] an amount of a growing medium for germination and growth of theseed, said growing medium comprising at least one growing composition,and

[iii] a container for the growing medium, in which the plant is to becultivated.

Each growing composition of the growing medium and the seed or seeds areprovided in respective packages within the provided container.

Preferably, the at least one growing composition is peat, for examplesphagnum peat moss, and is desirably in the form of a water-expandablepellet, whereby its reduced size allows all the components of the kit tobe housed in the container, while enabling the growing medium in use tobe of a sufficient volume to substantially fill the container. Thegrowing medium may comprise a second growing composition, such asgravel, which may be placed in the container on top of the peat when thekit is in use.

Preferably, the container of the kit is a box formed of water-resistantcardboard. This allows the container to be used as a growing pot,without leakage of water therefrom, as well as a convenient housing forthe kit components. Any suitable treated cardboard, e.g. waxedcardboard, may be used as the box material.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method forcultivating a plant from a kit according to the first aspect of theinvention. In the method, the respective packages are removed from thecontainer in which they were housed for the purpose of distribution,transport, sale, etc., and the or at least one growing composition ofthe growing medium is placed in the container. This first growingcomposition is preferably peat and is preferably provided in the form ofa water-expandable pellet which can be soaked with water, and therebyexpanded, prior to placing in the container. The seed or seeds are thenplanted in the growing composition in the container, and optionally asecond growing composition, e.g. gravel, is then placed in the containerover the first growing composition, for example in order to improvemoisture retention of the growing medium. After planting, the seed orseeds are allowed to germinate and grow under suitable conditions, i.e.of light, warmth, and moisture. The exact conditions will generally bedetermined by the species of tree or plant being cultivated. Examples ofsuitable species are Red Pine Tree, Southern Pine Tree and PonderosaPine Tree.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a kit in accordance with the firstaspect of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container in which the growingmedium has been placed and the seed or seeds have been planted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, a kit 1 comprises a box 2 in which is provided apackage of seeds 6, a package of gravel 8 and a pellet ofwater-expandable sphagnum moss peat 4. Suitably, four or five seeds areprovided in the package 6. The packaging material of packages 6 and 8may be formed of any suitable material, for example metal foil, plasticor paper. Also provided within the box 2 may be a leaflet 12, containingan explanation of the greenhouse effect and instructions for using thekit. The positioning of the components within the box 2 as shown in thefigure is purely illustrative and any suitable configuration may beutilized, depending upon the actual size and shape of the various items.

To use the kit, the packages of seeds 6 and gravel 8, the peat pellet 4and instruction leaflet 12 are removed from the box 2 and the peatpellet 4 is prepared for use. This is done by soaking the pellet withwater, e.g. in a receptacle, until the pellet is sufficiently expandedand saturated to the desired degree. The expanded pellet 4' is placed inthe empty box 2 and the seeds from the package 6 are then planted intothe peat pellet 4'. Flaps 20 of the box 2 which were used to close thebox during distribution, transport, sale, etc., may be removed ifdesired, as shown in FIG. 2. Following the planting of the seeds, thegravel from the package 8 is applied over the top of the peat to providea covering layer which helps to prevent loss of moisture throughevaporation.

The whole container may now be placed in appropriate conditions oflight, warmth, and moisture, in order to encourage the seeds togerminate and sprout. Once seedlings are well established, future growthcan be promoted by known methods, until the tree or plant issufficiently mature to be transplanted into a permanent site.

I claim:
 1. A kit for cultivating a plant, the kit comprising incombination:a first packet containing at least one seed of said plant;an amount of a compressed peat growing medium for germination and growthof said seed or seeds upon the absorption of water into said compressedpeat, said growing medium comprising at least one growing composition, awater resistant container, for containing said growing medium and saidfirst packet, in which said plant is to be initially cultivated, saidcontainer being sized so as to snugly accommodate the compresses peatgrowing medium when said growing medium has been expanded by theaddition of water, wherein during said initial cultivation said peat,and seed are arranged in said container.
 2. A kit according to claim 1,wherein said growing medium comprises peat as a first growingcomposition.
 3. A kit according to claim 2, wherein said peat is in theform of a water-expandable pellet.
 4. A kit according to claim 2,wherein said growing medium further comprises gravel as a second growingcomposition.
 5. A kit according to claim 1, wherein said container is abox formed of water resistant cardboard.
 6. A kit according to claim 1,wherein said plant is selected from the group consisting of Red PineTree, Southern Pine Tree and Ponderosa Pine Tree, and such selection ispredicated on the geographic locale of the anticipated growingenvironment of said plant.
 7. A method of cultivating a tree from a kitcomprising in combination at least one seed of said plant, an amount ofa compressed peat growing medium, for germination and growth of saidseed of seeds upon the absorption of water into said compressed peat,said growing medium comprising at least one growing composition, and awater resistant container for containing said growing medium, and atleast one seed, in which said plant is to be initially cultivated, saidcontainer being sized so as to snugly accommodate the volume saidexpanded peat wherein, said growing medium and said seed or seeds areeach provided in respective packages within said container, said methodcomprising the steps of:(i) removing said respective packages from saidcontainer; (ii) adding water to the growing medium to expand said mediumto its expanded size and placing said expanded growing medium snuglyinto said container; (iii) planting said seed or seeds in said growingcomposition by pushing said seed or seeds into an upper surface of saidgrowing medium; and (iv) allowing said seed or seeds to germinate andgrow under suitable growing conditions.
 8. A method according to claim7, wherein a second growing composition is placed in said containerafter step [iii].
 9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said secondgrowing composition is gravel.
 10. A method according to claim 7,wherein the growing composition of step [ii] is peat.
 11. A methodaccording to claim 10, wherein said peat is in the form of awater-expandable pellet which is treated with water and thereby expandedprior to placing in the container.
 12. A method according to claim 7,wherein said container is a box formed of water resistant cardboard. 13.A method according to claim 7, wherein said plant is selected from thegroup consisting of Red Pine Tree, Southern Pine Tree and Ponderosa PineTree, and such selection is predicated on the geographic locale of theanticipated growing environment of said plant.
 14. A kit for cultivatinga plant, the kit comprising in combination:at least one seed of saidplant; an amount of gravel; an amount of a compressed peat growingmedium for germination and growth of said seed or seeds upon theabsorption of water into said compressed peat, said growing mediumcomprising at least one growing composition; a water resistant containerfor containing said growing medium, said seed, and said amount ofgravel, in which said plant is to be initially cultivated, saidcontainer being sized so as to snugly accommodate the compressed peatgrowing medium when said growing medium has been expanded by theaddition of water, wherein during said initial cultivation said peat,gravel, and seed are arranged in said container.